Lubrication of conveyors



April 24, 1962 A. T. c. BURROWS LUBRICATION 0F CONVEYORS Filed March 8, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 24, 1962 A. T. c. BURROWS 3,031,033

LUBRICATION 0F CONVEYORS Filed March 8, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3,031,033 LUBRICATION F CONVEYORS Arthur Thomas Charles Burrows, Stevenage, England,

assignor to Geo. W. King Limited, Stevenage, England, a British company Filed Mar. 8, 1961, Ser. No. 94,301 Claims priority, application Great Britain Mar. 11, 1960 12 Claims. (Cl. 184-15) This invention is concerned with conveyor systems of the kind wherein an endless driven chain is supported at spaced points along its length from or by trolleys or the like running along a fixed track.

It is the chief object of the invention to provide means whereby the Wheels of such trolleys may be lubricated automatically and in accordance therewith a lubricating system is provided which comprises a source of lubricant, a jet or nozzle communicating with said source, means for moving said jet or nozzle into and from an operative position wherein it will register with a lubricant aperture in each trolley as the latter moves through a selected section of the conveyor path and means adapted to be actu ated as said jet or nozzle moves into its operative position to cause lubricant to be discharged from the source and through the jet or nozzle.

In further accordance with the invention a lubricating system will comprise a source of lubricant, two jets or nozzles communicating with said source and disposed at opposite sides of the conveyor path, means for moving such jets or nozzles into and from an operative position wherein they will register with lubricant apertures in each trolley as the latter moves through a selected section of the conveyor path and means adapted to be actuated as said jets or nozzles move into their operative positions to cause lubricant to be discharged from the source and through the jets or nozzles. Preferably the arrangement will be such that as each trolley approaches the selected section of the conveyor path it will contact an arm or arms, operate a trip switch or the like which will result in the movement of the jets or nozzles towards their operative positions. The arrangement may also be such that as the jets or nozzles move into their operative positions means associated therewith will be efiicctive to actuate microswitches or the like thereby to cause actuation of a valve controlling the supply of pressure air or fluid to a vessel containing the lubricant.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect the same will be hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which FIGURES 1, 2 and 4 illustrate three possible forms of lubricating systems while FIGURE 3 shows a lubricating jet or nozzle in its operative position.

Referring now to the drawings, denotes an endless driven chain which is supported at spaced points along its length by means of clevis or like attachments 11 depending from wheeled trolleys 1.2 running along a fixed overhead track 13. Such an arrangement is well known in the conveyor field and further description of the conveyor installation is not considered necessary.

For the purpose of lubricating the wheels of the trolleys 12 it is proposed at a selected point along the conveyor path to install a lubricating system and in FIGURE 1 such a system comprises a =so-called mist lubricator 14 of known type which is adapted to discharge oil on supply of air under pressure thereto. Connected to the lubricator 14 is an air supply line 15 through which air under pressure will be supplied from any convenient source (not shown). Located in the air line 15 are solenoid operated valves 16, 17, an air pressure regulator 18 and an air cleaner 19 of known type. The valve 16 is electrically connected to the drive unit for the chain 10 so that when 3,031,033 Patented Apr. 24, 1962 ice such unit is operative to drive the chain the valve 16 will be opened to allow air to flow along the line 15, such flow being cut off automatically by said valve 16 on cessation of the drive to the chain 10. The air pressure regulator 18 will allow for control of the air pressure supplied to the lubricator 14 which latter is itself provided with a valve 20 whereby the oil discharge may be controlled. The solenoid operated valve 17 which is controlled by means of a microswitch 21 as hereinafter more fully described is capable only of two positions i.e. open or closed, the open position resulting in a flow of air to and discharge of oil from the lubricator 14 while the closed position results in no air flow to said lubricator and hence no oil discharge.

Leading from the discharge side of the lubricator 14 are two pipes or conduits 22, 23 each of which communicates with a separate jet or nozzle 24, 25 respectively. The two jets or nozzles 24, 25 are disposed at opposite sides of the path of travel of the aforesaid trolleys 12 and each is mounted on or carried by an arm 26, 27 said arms being so arranged as to be capable of pivotal movement about fixed vertical axes 28, 29 respectively. As will be seen the jets or nozzles 24, 25 are supported at a level above that of their arms 26, 27 which are of such a length as to project beyond said jets or nozzles and into the path of the frames or bodies of the trolleys 12, the arrangement being such that as the trolleys move along with the chain each will on contacting the arms 26, 27 cause the same to be swung through an arc. As the arms 26, 27 approach the mid-point of their respective arcuate travel the jets or nozzles 24, 25 will be brought into register with and will be caused to enter oil holes present in the spindles supporting the trolley wheels, such a position being indicated in FIGURE 3. Each jet or nozzle 24, 25 is so supported on its arm 26, 27 that it is capable of limited longitudinal movement relatively thereto there being a spring 30, 31 in each case which will tend normally to urge said jets of nozzles forwardly so that upon cooperation with the aforesaid oil holes the jets or nozzles will be pressed thereagainst with a certain amount of pressure. Associated with the jet or nozzle 25 is a striker collar or like abutment 32 which is adapted on contact of the jet or nozzle with the wheel spindle and subsequent limited retractive movement thereof against the aforesaid spring 31, to operate the micro switch 21 which in turn controls the solenoid of the air valve 17. It will be appreciated that after a predetermined angular movement of the arms 26, 27 the trolley will pass out of contact therewith whereupon said arms will be returned to their initial positions by means of return springs indicated at 33, 34. Suitable stops such as indicated at 35, 36 will be provided for positively limiting the extent of this return movement of said arms 26, 27. During such return movement the jets or nozzles 24, 25 will be in their fore-most positions to which they will be urged by their respective springs 30, 31 so that the striker collar or the like 32 associated with said jet or nozzle 2'5 will not contact the aforesaid micro switch 21.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that as each trolley 12 approaches the lubrication zone it will contact the two arms 26, 27 disposed one at each side of the conveyor path and will move them angularly through an are. As the arms approach the mid-point of this arcuate movement indicated in FIGURE 3 the jets or nozzles 24, 25 will be brought into contact with the oil holes in the spindles of the trolley wheels and as a result of the consequent depressive or retractive movement of such jets or nozzles the striker collar 32 associated with the nozzle 25 will be effective to operate the micro switch 21 thereby to cause opening of the valve 17. Upon opening of the valve 17 and supply of air to the lubricator 14 oil will be discharged from the latter via the pipes or conduits 22, 23 and the nozzles 24, 25 in said oil holes. As

the arms 26, 27 move beyond the mid-position the jets or nozzles 24, 25 will be moved away from the aforesaid oil holes and will move forwardly under the action of their springs 30, 31 thereby to allow restoration of the micro switch 21 to its initial position with consequent closing of the valve 17 and shutting off of the lubricant supply. As indicated above after a predetermined angular movement of the arms 26 and 27 the trolley will move out of contact therewith and said arms will be returned by the springs 33, 34 back to their initial positions, the arrangement being such that during the return movements of the arms 26, 27 the micro switch 21 will not be actuated so that no discharge of lubricant will take place at such time.

While a construction such as is indicated in FIGURE 1 is suitable for use with a conveyor wherein the trolleys are fairly widely spaced along the chain e.g. at 2 foot centres or more it may be necessary to modify it in the case where the trolleys are arranged closer together e.g. at 8 inch centres. Such a modification is shown in FIGURE 2 and referring now to that figure it will be seen that each jet or nozzle '24, 25 is pivotally mounted on a sliding saddle 37 so that its radius of movement will be smaller than in the embodiment above described. Each saddle 37 which is slidably supported on a suitable fixed guide 38 is adapted to be moved back and forth through the medium of a pneumatic ram 39 to which air is supplied via an air speed regulator 40. 41 denotes an air exhaust valve, one of which will of course be associated with each ram 39 said valves each having an actuating element 42 associated therewith and adapted in the embodiment illustrated to project into the path of movement of the clevis attachments 11 on the trolleys 12.

Apart from the mounting of the jets or nozzles 24, 25 the embodiment shown in FIGURE 2 is otherwise similar to that shown in FIGURE 1 with the exception that in the case of FIGURE 2 the solenoid operated valve 17 which controls the operation of the lubricator 14 is connected to an electrical timing device 43 which may be set to control the period during which the valve is open and hence the lubricant spray or injection period irrespective of the speed of travel of the chain or other factors.

With the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 2, the sliding saddles 37 are caused by means of their respective rams 39 normally to assume a retracted position but on entry of a trolley 12 into the lubrication zone the actuating elements 42 will be contacted by the clevis attachment 11 thereby to cause opening of the exhaust valves 41 which will result in forward movement of said saddles sufiicient to bring the jets or nozzles 24, 25 into engagement with the oil holes in the spindles of the trolley wheels. As before an arcuate movement of the jets or nozzles 2.4, 25 will then take place with consequent depression of said jets or nozzles against the action of their springs 30, 31 as they move towards the mid-position. This depression movement will cause the striker collar 32 associated with the jet or nozzle 25 to operate the micro switch 21 and hence cause opening of the valve 17 and consequent discharge of oil from the lubricator 14. With continued movement of the trolley the jets or nozzles 24, 25 will eventually be disengaged from the oil holes in spindles of the wheels and will be restored by their springs 30, 31 to their initial forward positions. The collar 32 will also be removed from the micro switch 21 so that the valve 17 will close and also the actuating elements 42 will disengage from the clevis member and return to their initial positions thereby allowing the ex-. haust valves 41 to close with consequent reversal of the rams 39 and restoration of the sliding saddles 3 7 to their initial restricted positions in readiness for a further operation.

As will be seen the jets or nozzles 24, 25 will be returned to their initial angular positions after" each actuation by means of springs such as 44 there being suitable stops to limit the extent of such return movement.

In both of the embodiments shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 the oil way or holes are located in the sides of the trolleys but in the case where the oil ways or holes are located in the tops of the trolleys it will be necessary to adopt a construction such as is indicated in FIGURE 4.

In that case the arrangement is very similar to that shown in FIGURE 1, the chief difference being that the arms carrying the jets or nozzles are mounted for pivotal movement about horizontal axes disposed above the path of travel of the trolleys 12. In FIGURE 4 only one jet or nozzle supporting arm 45 is shown such arm being capable of pivotal movement about the pivot 46. The remaining parts of the apparatus corresponding to those present in FIGURE 1 have been identified by the same reference numerals and the mode of operation will be obvious having regard to the foregoing description. It may be pointed out here however that in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 4 the valve 17 also has an electrical timer device 43 associated therewith similar to that shown in FIGURE 2. Such a device may of course be incorporated in the layout shown in FIGURE 1 or if desired it might be omitted from the layouts shown in both FIGURES 2 and 4.

It will be appreciated that with any of the embodiments above described the amount of oil supplied on each operation of the lubricator can be controlled as conditions dictate by controlling the amount of oil discharged on each operation by means of the valve 20 on the lubricator 14 and/or by controlling the air pressure by means of the regulator 18 which as indicated will incorporate a pressure gauge adapted to give a visual indication of the pressure employed. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG- URES 2 and 4 yet a further control is incorporated i.e. the electrical timer device 43 which serves to control the spray or injection period irrespective of the speed of travel of the trolleys or other factors.

It may be mentioned here that the electrical solenoids and the micro switches or the like controlling the same may be replaced by suitable air valves, switches or the like.

I claim:

1. A lubricating system for the trolley wheels of conveyors of the kind set forth such system comprising a vessel for holding a supply of lubricant, means including a valve whereby fluid under pressure may be supplied to said vessel to cause discharge of lubricant therefrom, two nozzles communicating with said vessel and disposed in a lubricating zone at opposite sides of the conveyor path each such nozzle being supported for angular movement and also for limited axial displacement, spring.

means urging each nozzle into a forward position, means whereby each trolley passing through the lubricating zone will cause the nozzles to move angularly into and out of register with lubricant apertures in such trolley such angular movement being accompanied by a depressive movement of each nozzle against the action of the spring means as said nozzle approaches the mid position, a member associated with one of the nozzles to move therewith and a switch adapted to be actuated by said member on depressive movement of the nozzle thereby to cause operation of the valve so that pressure fluid will be supplied to the vessel and lubricant discharged therefrom to the nozzles and thence to the parts to be lubricated.

2. A lubricating system as in claim 1 in which an electrical timer device is associated with the valve to control the duration of opening thereof and hence the duration of lubricant discharge.

3. A lubricating system as in claim 1 in which means are provided whereby pressure fluid will be supplied to the system only during such times as a drive is imparted to the conveyor.

4. A lubricating system for the trolley wheels of conveyors of the kind set forth such system comprising a vessel for holding a supply of lubricant, means including a valve whereby fluid under pressure may be supplied to said vessel to cause discharge of lubricant therefrom, two nozzles communicating with said vessel and disposed in a lubricating zone at opposite sides of the conveyor path, a separate arm on which each nozzle is supported in such a manner as to be capable of limited longitudinal displacement relatively thereto, spring means urging each nozzle into a forward position, a fixed pivot for each arm and about which said arm will be caused to move angularly by each trolley passing through the lubricating zone thereby to cause the nozzle associated therewith to move angularly into and out of register with a lubricant aperture on a wheel of such trolley such angular movement being accompanied by a depressive movement of the nozzle against the action of the spring means as said nozzle approaches the mid point of its angular movement and a subsequent projective movement under the action of said spring means as the nozzle moves away from the mid position, a member associated with one of the nozzles to move therewith and a switch adapted to be actuated by said member on depressive movement of the nozzle thereby to cause operation of the valve so that pressure fluid Will be supplied to the vessel and lubricant discharged therefrom to the nozzles and thence to the parts to be lubricated.

5. A lubricating system as in claim 4 wherein an electrical timer device is associated with the valve to cont-r01 the duration of opening thereof and hence the duration of lubricant discharge.

6. A lubricating system as in claim 4 in which a return spring is associated with each arm adapted as each trolley eventually moves out of contact with the arm to return said arm to its initial position.

7. A lubricating system as in claim 4 in which means are provided whereby pressure fluid will be supplied to the system only during such times as a drive is imparted to the conveyor.

8. A lubricating system for the trolley wheels of conveyors of the kind set forth such system comprising a vessel for holding a supply of lubricant, means including a valve whereby fluid under pressure may be supplied to said vessel to cause discharge of lubricant therefrom, two fixed guide means disposed in a lubrication zone one at each side of the conveyor path, a carriage slidable on each of such guide means towards and away from the conveyor path, a nozzle so mounted on each carriage as to be capable of angular movement and also of limited longitudinal displacement relative to the carriage, said nozzles being in communication with said vessel, spring means urging each nozzle into a forward position, means operable as each trolley enters the lubricating zone to cause the carriages to move towards the conveyor and into positions wherein the respective nozzles will engage lubricant apertures in the wheels of such trolley, such engagement resulting in an angular movement of the nozzles accompanied by a depressive movement thereof against the action of their respective spring means as said nozzles approach the mid point of their angular movement and a subsequent projective movement of said nozzles under the action of said spring means as they move away from the mid position, a member associated with one of the nozzles to move therewith and a switch adapted to be actuated by said member on depressive movement of the nozzles thereby to cause operation of the valve so that pressure fluid will be supplied to the vessel and lubricant discharged therefrom to the nozzles and thence to the parts to be lubricated.

9. A lubricating system as in claim 8 in which a spring is associated with each nozzle to return the same to its initial position after each completed angular movement thereof.

10. A lubricating system as in claim 8 in which a fluid pressure operated ram is associated with each carriage to effect movement of the latter there being an actuating element disposed in the path of travel of the trolleys whereby operation of said rams is controlled.

11. A lubricating system as in claim 8 wherein an electrical timer device is associated with the valve to control the duration of opening thereof and hence the duration of lubricant discharge.

12. A lubricating system as in claim 8 wherein means are provided whereby pressure fluid will be supplied to the system only during such times as a drive is imparted to the conveyor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,593,841 Burchsted Apr. 22, 1952 2,664,969 Bjerre Jan. 5, 1954 2,683,502 Schlosshauer July 13, 1954 2,848,068 Abbott Aug. 19, 1958 2,905,271 Lippe Sept. 22, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 833,819 Great Britain Apr. 27, 1960 

